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§ THE GLASS FACTORY. §
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##@@£§:-^, SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, AND A GIFT SHOP. ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, CONSIDERED POOR. ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, SOME ARE SHATTERED. ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, §§ ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, §§ §§ ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, ------- § § ------- ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, §§ §§ ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, §§ ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, LIT FROM BEHIND. ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, §§ ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, §§ §§ ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, ------- § § ------- ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, §§ §§ ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, §§ ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, FLOOR. ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, BECOME STILL. ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, §§ ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, §§ §§ ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, ------- § § ------- ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, §§ §§ ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, §§ ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ,^-:§£@@##
#@@£§:-^,, ,,^-:§£@@#
##@@£§:-^, I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ,^-:§£@@##
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